


674th Time's the Charm

by captaincrash



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Marauders, because i love them, james and lily getting together, school age idiots
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-13
Updated: 2019-08-13
Packaged: 2020-08-20 13:44:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,866
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20228824
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/captaincrash/pseuds/captaincrash
Summary: 674. The amount of times James Potter asked out Lily Evans.673. The amount of time she said no.





	674th Time's the Charm

  
#**1** _November 16th, third year_

  
  
This was the year that girls stopped being weird and alien things, and instead became attractive possibilities.

  
This was also the year that James Potter and his best friend Sirius Black discovered their abilities as attractive and confident boys. They discovered the ability to make a girl blush with a compliment or casual wink, and that chivalry in the form of book-carrying, or escorting to classes was a quick and effective way to the heart. 

  
On this particular day—a cloudy, grey, nondescript Friday—James and his ever-present friends Sirius, Remus and Peter were heading down to Transfiguration, their first class of the day. They sauntered down the stairs, joking and laughing loudly, though Remus was checking his watch with a faintly anxious expression.

  
As they neared the classroom, James spotted a pretty redhead whom he recognized to be in their year and in Gryffindor, carrying a massive armload of books. He interrupted whatever it was Sirius was saying. "Sorry, mate, but there's a damsel in distress over there that needs my help."

  
His friend's miffed expression swiftly changed to a wide grin. "Oh, her. She's a cute one, isn't she?"

  
James smiled. "Yeah. "He turned to Remus. "What's her name?"

  
An exasperated expression that James couldn't understand crossed his friend's face. "Her name is Lily Evans. Which you'd _know, _if you ever bothered to-"

  
"Thanks, Remus." James interrupted. "Wish me luck, boys."

  
He casually fell into step beside the girl. "Hey, Evans." He gave her his best charming smile. "How's life?"

  
There was a pause while she realised he was, in fact, talking to her. "Good, thanks." She walked faster.

  
He kept in step easily, and kept smiling, not at all put off. "Need a hand with those books, Evans? I'd be glad to help."

  
"No, thanks." She smiled thinly, and quickened her pace until she was practically jogging.

  
James blinked in surprise, then hurried to catch up. "Are- are you sure?" he asked, his genial smile faltering only slightly. "Those books look heavy."

  
"Yes, they are," she said shortly, "But I don't need _your _help." She turned, now, and looked at him with narrowed eyes. "Now _if _you don't mind, I'd rather not be late for class. Some of us happen to actually _care _about our education." With a toss of her head, she strode into the classroom that he hadn't realized they'd reached.

  
He stared after her, his mouth slightly open, until his friends caught up with him.

  
"Mate, what happened?" Sirius asked. "You look like you just got hit with a shovel."

  
James just blinked.

  
A slow grin spread across Remus' face. "She rejected you, didn't she?"

  
"No way," Peter said.

  
James slowly turned and looked at his friends. "No, I'm, I'm sure it was just a misunderstanding . . ."

  
"Poor guy," Sirius said, not unsympathetically. "Come on, let's get to class or McGonagall will have a stroke."

  
"She'd throw a party, more likely, if we didn't show up for class," Remus muttered as they ushered a quietly protesting James into the Transfiguration classroom.

  
  
By the end of class, James had recovered considerably, and could be heard saying loudly to his friends, "It was just a misunderstanding, it was all a misunderstanding, we'll clear it up, it'll all be okay."

  
As class ended and the students packed up their things, James waltzed over to Lily and gave her his even-more-charming charming smile. "Hey, Evans, I feel like we got off on the wrong foot this morning. Would you allow me to make it up to you?"

  
She looked at him, a smile spreading across her face —James felt a surge of triumph—

"No, thank you."

  
  
_#**2** Approximately 46 seconds later_

  
  
James looked, as Sirius had so eloquently put it, like she had hit him with a shovel. His smile was faltering greatly, but he gave a valiant effort. "Are- are you sure? We're going to Hogsmeade tomorrow, and I'd love to take you and-"

  
"_Yes_, I'm sure. I would _not _like to go with you."

  
"But- why?"

  
Lily's eyes flared. "_Because, _Potter, unlike _some _girls, I have _standards. _And you are an arrogant prick."

  
"But-but-"

  
"Oh, _please. _Don't pretend like you're all crushed about this. I'll bet you didn't even know my name before this morning. Who'd you ask? Remus? He seems like the least thickheaded of your entourage."

  
He stared after her once again as she flounced out of the classroom until his friends came up to him.

  
Sirius took one look at his friend's face and handed a galleon to Remus. 

  
"Rejected you again, didn't she?"

  
James nodded slowly.

  
Sirius clapped him on the shoulder. "Oh, well. Find yourself another one. There's plenty of cute girls here, how about-"

  
"No."

  
Sirius frowned. "What?"

  
James looked at his best friend. "I'm not giving up on her." His shell-shocked expression was quickly giving way to a grim, determined one.

  
His friends exchanged glances. "How about another bet, boys?" Sirius asked them. "I, for one, am eager to see how long this goes on for, and, of course, how it ends."

  
"You're on."

  
James, of course, heard none of this. His mind was lost in a certain pair of bright green eyes.  


  
  
_These were only the first of many. Some were short, _

  
  
#_**126 **_

  
  
"Yo, Evans, Hogsmeade this weekend?"

  
"Of course not."

  
  
_#2_**73**

  
  
"Hey, Evans! Want to-"

  
"No."

>   
_Others were elaborate scenarios, planned long in advance, such as #**496**, the Great Valentine's Day Event of 1976, year 5, which involved a great deal of confetti, a dozen or so irritated-looking owls, some balloons, a handful of underpaid first-years, and a rather large cake. The answer, of course, was a resounding 'No', but James was rewarded for his efforts that time by a small smile and an involuntary laugh._

_  
This went on for a very long time, but by the end of sixth year, the rate had slowed considerably, James asking her out only about once a week, or less. Lily, obviously, felt greatly relieved, and yet, there was the smallest twinge of something else, marring her emotions. She refused to admit it was regret, or anything of the sort. _

_ Yet, there it was.  
_

  
  
#**673 **November 27th, 1977, seventh year

  
  
Lily Evans walked through the castle with arms full of books, wishing she could go to bed instead of to the library. She sighed loudly at nothing in particular, rounding a corner, and smacked straight into someone. The person stumbled and Lily swore loudly and eloquently as her books dropped to the floor, then winced at her manners, blaming her exhaustion. "I am so s—" she began, flicking her eyes up to the person she had assaulted, then stopped.

James gave her a half-smile. "Quite a mouth on you, Evans," he said, but there was no bite to it. He seemed just as tired as she was. Of course, exhaustion was the state all seventh years lived in.

  
She hadn't talked to him much this year, despite their being Head Boy and Girl. He hadn't asked her out once since June of sixth year, but would smile at her in the hallways and in class, occasionally offering pleasantries, to which Lily had absolutely no idea how to respond. She didn't know how to be _polite_to James Potter. _Polite_didn't belong in the same sentence as that ridiculous boy. Every time he asked her how she was doing, or complimented her spellwork, she wanted to strangle him—or something—_anything _to make him stop being that pleasant, mature boy she knew he wasn't. Lily didn't quite understand her feelings, but she knew she missed the sarcasm. The banter that always came out a little meaner than she meant it but James never flinched, he just laughed, and Lily would smile and—

Yeah. She did _not _understand her feelings at all.

  
Now, they held eye contact for a little too long, then he stooped, gathered up her books and held them out to her. After a moment that was just long enough to be awkward she took them, their hands brushing. "Thanks," she mumbled.

  
"Don't worry about it. It was my fault, anyway; I wasn't looking where I was going." James gave her a small nod, and walked by her.

  
She stared after him for a moment, then remembered she was going to the library. "Get it together, Evans," she said to herself, sighing.

  
"Hey, wait, Lily-"

  
She whirled around faster than she would care to admit, _<s>he said Lily not Evans he called her Lily </s>_and looked at James, who was walking back towards her. He stopped a few feet from her, fidgeting (nervously? Lily didn't know if he was capable of being nervous). She finally decided to break the silence, because he obviously wasn't going to. "What is it, Potter? I have homework to do." It came out harsher than she had intended, and she regretted it instantly. He winced.

  
"I- I just-" _(was James Potter stuttering? Merlin, what planet were they on?)_

_  
_She raised her eyebrows, not trusting herself to speak.

  
"I- I was just wondering if-if maybe you'd like to come to a Quidditch game with me next weekend, I- I got tickets and I- yeah." He said it all in one hurried breath, and then closed his eyes, for all the world looking like he expected her to hit him.

  
Lily opened her mouth to deliver the expected negative response, and was surprised when nothing came out. She closed it, and stared at James with growing unease as she realized that maybe she _didn't actually want to say no. _He looked rather uncomfortable himself, because she hadn't said no yet, and he wasn't sure what he was supposed to do. She pursed her lips, then began, "I-"

  
"OI, PRONGS!"

  
They both looked around, and saw his friends coming down the corridor. Sirius walked up to James and clapped him on the shoulder. "There you are, mate. We've been looking for you for ages!"

  
James looked surprised, then grinned sheepishly. "Yeah, sorry guys." He glanced awkwardly at Lily, and the boys finally noticed her.

  
"Hey, Lily," Remus smiled.

  
She smiled back. Of all of them, Remus Lupin was the one she got along with best. 

  
Sirius was looking between her and James, a frown creasing his face. "Should we go?" he asked no one in particular. 

  
James looked uncharacteristically awkward. "Er, no, that's okay, I think, we're done?" He phrased this last part as a question, looking at Lily. 

  
She quickly looked away. "Yes. Yes we are." She paused, realising he was probably waiting for an actual answer. "I mean. . . Thanks. But- no."

  
He nodded slowly. "I thought not. It was worth a shot, though." He hesitated as if he had more to say, but just exhaled slowly and smiled at her. "See you around, Lily." 

  
She watched them leave, feeling as if she had been punched in the gut. _What's happening? _She closed her eyes, clutching her books like a lifeline to her chest. She wondered what she would've said, what she would've done, if his friends hadn't shown up at that precise moment.

  
There's no way she would've said yes. No way.

  
And yet, that feeling wouldn't go away. 

  
_ No way._

  
And yet.  


  
#**674, **January 18th, 1978, seventh year  
  
  
"Looks like they posted the next Hogsmeade date," James observed, glancing at the small mob gathered around the bulletin board in the Gryffindor common room. "You wanna check?" he asked Remus, who pretended to be thoroughly engrossed in his Potions textbook, and then looked at Peter, who suddenly became very interested in the the carpet. James sighed, and turned to his best friend. "Sirius," he began, in a wheedling tone. 

  
"Not a chance, mate," he replied without glancing up from his homework. 

  
James sighed, standing up, and made his way over to the board. He craned his neck to see over the heads of the other Gryffindors, reading '_Sunday, January 29'. _He backed away to go let his friends know, and almost knocked someone over. "Oh, sorry—" He flushed when he realized that it was Lily Evans, who looked as uncomfortable as he felt.  
"That's okay," she mumbled, standing on her toes, looking past him at bulletin board.

  
James said something incoherent, his face hot, and slipped away. Or, tried to, rather; he stopped in his tracks when he heard a quiet "Hey, James, wait."

  
He turned, and looked at Lily, who seemed rather embarrassed. He cocked his head at her, trying to look as non-arrogant-toerag-ish as he possibly could. "Yeah, Lily?"

  
She shifted awkwardly. "Um, could you- could you maybe read the board for me?"

  
He blinked in surprise—whatever he had been expecting, it wasn't that—then a grin spread across his face. "You're too short to see, aren't you?" He tried, unsuccessfully to keep the laughter from his voice.

  
She huffed indignantly. "_Some _of us, Potter, are not blessed with your monstrous height."

  
His lips twitched as he pretended to consider it. "I don't know, it seems like you're doing just fine on your own."

Lily sighed loudly at him, but he could see the smile on her face. "_Please, _Potter?" She gave him dramatic puppy-dog eyes. "For me?"

He laughed out loud, surprising both of them. "Aw, how could I say no to you?" He grinned at her and she rolled her eyes. "It says the 29th. Sunday."

  
"Thanks, Potter."

  
A pause. "You called me James, before." he said. Quietly.  


Her mouth formed a surprised "O", then she closed it and put her hands on her hips. "Now why would I go and do a silly thing like that?"

He laughed again, and she looked pleased, thought she tried to hide it. They held each others' eyes for longer than they needed to, and James felt a wave of recklessness. He decided to take a leap of faith.

"I don't suppose you'd like to go with me? Hogsmeade, I mean. I could read more signs for you."

Lily stared at him, and James wondered why he had to make everything a joke. "Well, obviously, you can read your own signs if you want, and uh, sorry—"

  
"Okay."

  
"—yeah, of course, that's what I thought, sorry, it's okay—"

She cocked an eyebrow at him.

"—sorry forget I asked—" he stopped. Blinked. "Sorry, what was that?"

"I said okay."

  
James blinked. "No, you didn't." 

  
The corners of her lips twitched. "I did, actually."

  
"No way."

  
Lily laughed. "Don't make me change my mind."

  
"You- you- no you didn't."

  
She simply looked at him.

  
James looked back at her, and, without warning, leapt into the air, pumped his fist, and let out a whoop that attracted startled and curious glances from everyone else in the common room. He grinned so widely he felt like his face was going to fall off, and grabbed her hand, and kissed it—actually _kissed her hand_. 

  
Lily raised her eyebrows, but left her hand in his. "Potter, calm yourself," she said, in a very good imitation of Professor McGonagall. James laughed. 

  
"Prongs!" The two of them glanced up at Sirius yelling from where he was sprawled on the sofa. "Mate, how long does it take take to read a board? You all right?"

  
James beamed at him. "Yes, Padfoot, I'm all right. Better than all right. I am _grand_, Sirius, _GRAND_." He shouted this last word, briefly attracting the attention of other Gryffindors.   


Remus glanced up, ready to chastise his friend, then stopped, narrowing his eyes at Lily's and James' hands still together. "No way." He nudged Sirius and Peter, who finally noticed. "No _bloody _way."

  
"That's what I said, too!" James exclaimed, way too loudly. 

  
"Potter, you're causing a scene." Lily sighed at him.

"You wouldn't have it any other way, Evans," he shot back, and she laughed.

  
"You know what this means?" Sirius said, and turned to Peter. "This means you win!"

  
James blinked. "What?"

  
His friend's exchanged glances. "We made a bet, way back in third year. . . Peter was the only one who thought Lily would say yes," Sirius explained.

  
"You didn't have any faith in me?" James sounded affronted.

  
"To be fair," Remus reasoned. "It's been four years."

  
"Not the point," Peter interrupted. He held out his hands. "Pay up, guys."

  
Sirius and Remus rolled their eyes. "Later, Wormtail, later." Sirius glanced back at James and Lily, grinning. "There's a momentous occasion at hand."

  
"Shut _up, _Sirius." Lily sighed. "It's just one date."

  
James poked her in the shoulder. "Tell that to yourself a couple years ago."

  
She smiled, despite herself, then flinched as James yelped, letting go of her hand, and ran to the stairs going up to the boys dormitory.

  
His friends blinked in surprise. "What the _hell, _Prongs?" Sirius yelled after him.

  
James reappeared. "I have to tell my mum!" he yelled, and disappeared up the stairs.

  
Remus sighed. "This is what you signed up for, Lily," he informed her, a wry expression on his face.

  
Sirius nodded. "He won't ever give up on you. After all, he hasn't since third year."

  
She couldn't suppress her smile. "I don't think I'll mind. As long as he never tries being polite to me again."


End file.
